title: The care triangle: determining the gaps in the management of atopic dermatitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, relapsing, intensely pruritic dermatosis that usually affects infants, children, and young adults. The treatment of AD entails an individualized regimen that depends on the age of the patient, the stage and variety of lesions present, the sites and extent of involvement, the presence of infection, and the previous response to treatment.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify the evidence surrounding potential strategies for closing these gaps-ultimately improving the quality of care, the care process itself, and patient outcomes-and to encourage discussions that help develop tools to bridge the gap between suggested therapy and what is done by the patient.
  
  
  METHODS
  Review of the literature including searches on PubMed Central and Medline and in seminal dermatology texts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There are several disconnections between the evidence-based guidelines in the management of AD, what the individual dermatologist recommends, and what the patient does.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Applying the concept of the care triangle requires a balance of evidence-based medicine, the physician's experiences and the patient's needs and expectations in the decisions surrounding appropriate management of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, ON. ashley.otoole@medportal.ca
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: O'Toole
authors.forename: Bjorn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans